Clueless
by unlove
Summary: Owen and Bianca have been best friends for a long time, but when Bianca starts changing the rules, things may get a little messy.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Degrassi, but I hope you enjoy my new story anyway. Takes place after Vegas Night, but Bianca and Drew aren't together.**

1.

Bianca DeSousa stood proudly in front of the full-length mirror and tossed her head. A casual observer might think that she was admiring her mostly exposed body, but on closer inspection, it was obvious that she was actually watching for a reaction from the guy currently stretched out on her bed. Bianca sighed and spun on her toes to face him.

Any other straight guy on the planet would be appreciative of the way she filled out the pale pink lace bra and matching boy shorts, but Owen Milligan was completely oblivious. He was, at this particular moment, staring at the ceiling as he bombarded her with questions about her most recent confrontation with Alli Bhandari. "Did she ask about me?"

Bianca wanted to bean him in the head with a hard, blunt object, but she resisted the urge. "Owen, do you honestly think that she stopped in the middle of calling me a whore and threatening to break my face, just to ask me how you were doing?" She stepped into her jeans, still talking. "Besides that, offering a girl money for a blowjob is not the best way to say that you care." She stalked over to the bed, leaning across Owen to grab her tee shirt.

Owen ignored the fact that Bianca's C-cups were just inches away from his face in favor of further discussion. "I panicked! What would you have done? If you were Alli, I mean."

Bianca's words were temporarily muffled as she tugged the shirt over her head. "First of all, you wouldn't have caught me crying in the hall over Drew fucking Torres," she pointed out. "But if you offered me money for a blowjob…" She considered the situation carefully. "I probably would've taken your $50 and then punched you in the face."

Owen rolled to his side as Bianca returned to the mirror. "So what you're saying is I need a more delicate approach."

Bianca snorted as she applied a thick line of eyeliner. "Since you were about as delicate as a jackhammer, I'd say yeah. What is it with you and Bhandari, anyway? We've been best friends for 6 years, and I've never heard you go on about a chick so much."

"Dunno," Owen replied. "She's got this fire in her, like it doesn't matter how many times you knock her down, she'll keep getting up. And she's hot, of course." He shot Bianca a grin that left no doubt about what exactly he admired about Alli.

"She must not be too hot, considering how quickly Drew blew her off for me," Bianca snapped as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.

Owen sat up on the side of the bed. "Why wouldn't he, B? Your blowjobs are legendary at Degrassi."

She shot him a nasty look. "You wouldn't know, seeing as how you've never had one. Now do you think you can forget about your little crush for awhile? I'd like to get going."

Owen was confused. Bianca almost sounded jealous. But they were friends, just friends, and had been for years. Their relationship had changed since they were 10, but it was still platonic. Sure, there had been times when Owen had been pretty much desperate to hook up with Bianca – she had a body like a Victoria's Secret model and an attitude that trumped his own – but he had never asked for anything more and neither had she.

"Sorry." He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for, but it seemed to appease Bianca, because she picked up her keys and a black hoodie, leading him out of her room.

"I swear to you that fatass Bruce never moves from that couch." Bianca stared at the guy in question. "I mean, I don't think he even gets up to piss. I have seen him sitting in that exact spot every day for the last year."

Owen made a little noise that could've signaled agreement, but Mark Fitzgerald gave Bianca a gentle shove. "You haven't been here every day in the last year, plus you're just being a bitch. What's your problem?"

Bianca had been steadily throwing back shots of Everclear since their arrival several hours ago, so Owen wasn't surprised when she shoved Fitz back, hard. "What's my problem? You're my fucking problem," she hissed. "You and your stupid religious fanatic façade that you put on whenever that little Edwards bitch comes around. And you," she screeched, focusing her gaze on Owen angrily. "You and your obsession with a total hypocrite. How is Bhandari gonna call me a slut? What makes her think she's any better?" Hands shaking, she pulled a cigarette from her pack and lit it. "I don't understand what's happening." She abruptly dropped to her knees on the ground and burst into tears, still puffing away.

Fitz and Owen exchanged a look. Fitz threw his hands up and took a step back. "Your best friend, your problem, man. I don't deal with hysterical drunk bitches that may decide to cut off my balls while I'm sleeping."

Owen's jaw tightened. "Way to help the situation, asshole," he muttered as Fitz disappeared into the crowd. He ran a hand through his hair before kneeling down next to Bianca. He carefully took the cigarette from her hand and flicked it into the distance. Speaking very calmly, he pulled her into his arms. "It's okay, B. I've got you, and everything's okay."

For a split second, she started to relax against him. Owen buried his face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent. He pulled her a little closer, trying to project a tranquil presence. Bianca's arms came up around his neck as she sobbed on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, relieved that she seemed to be calming down.

His own peacefulness was shattered when he felt her press a wet, open-mouthed kiss on his neck. His eyes shot open just as Bianca threaded her fingers through his hair. She used her body weight to slowly push him to his back. He went willingly at first, entirely unable to think as her tongue and teeth moved over his neck and shoulder. It felt so good when she nipped him right there, and the hands working at his belt buckle made him more excited.

Then she whispered his name. "Owen…"

He jerked upright with a speed he hadn't realized he had, dislodging Bianca in the process. She landed on her ass about a foot in front of him, shock written all over her face.

"What the hell are you doing?" He scrambled to his feet, putting a few more feet between them in the process.

Bianca stood more slowly, brushing off the back of her jeans. "I thought…" She looked at him expectantly, clearly waiting for him to step in.

"Whoa." Owen held his palms out, terrified that she would come toward him. "I don't know what you thought, but I'm not one of your boy toys, Bianca."

Rage washed over her. She took a few unsteady steps toward him, focusing on staying upright. "You're just like everybody else, asshole. You think I'm nothing but a slut, don't you? You know what? Maybe you're right. I'm going to go find somebody who will appreciate that. In the meantime, lose my phone number, forget my name. I hope I never see you again." She moved away quickly, humiliation giving her speed.

Owen started to go after her, but by the time he caught up, she already had some guy wrapped around her. She was giggling and biting her lip as the guy slid his hands over her ass. For a brief second, her eyes met Owen's, blasting him with overwhelming anger before she returned her attention to the guy.

"I have no idea what just happened." Owen shrugged and headed toward his car. He looked back once, but Bianca was nowhere to be seen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't own Degrassi!**

2.

Bianca wasn't at the Ravine the next night. Owen sent her at least a dozen texts over the next two days, but she never responded. He finally decided to corner her at the bus stop Monday morning, but she wasn't there. He arrived at school that day feeling completely lost; he and Bianca had never had a serious fight, where they completely quit talking to each other, and he wasn't really sure how to fix things. He checked the bleachers where she liked to smoke at lunch, and even went by her locker, but she was nowhere to be found.

It wasn't until after 2nd period that he spotted her, leaning against a locker at the other end of the hall. He yelled for her, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the crowd. It suddenly seemed like there were 5 million students at Degrassi, and every single one of them was standing in that particular hall. He was weaving his way through the crowd, trying to reach her, when he realized who she was talking to. He began shoving people out of the way.

By the time he reached her, he had worked himself into a fury. "Get away from her, freak," he shouted, grabbing Adam Torres by the front of his shirt and yanking him up hard enough that Adam's feet no longer touched the ground.

Adam's eyes widened as he was suddenly propelled through the air. Owen pulled his arm back, preparing to slam his fist into the freckled face of that weirdo, when a set of blood red fingernails dug into his arm. He looked at Bianca, not understanding her interference.

"_You_ get away from me, freak. Not that it's any of your business, but I want to talk to Adam. And I believe I told you to forget my name." Bianca's voice was soft but deadly as she slid between Owen and Adam. "Get. Fucking. Lost."

Owen released Adam purely on reflex. "What?" He was staring at her like she had 2 heads.

Bianca threaded her arm through Adam's. "I said you need to go. Our friendship is over." She stomped off, dragging a bewildered Adam with her.

A red haze filled Owen's vision for a few seconds, before transforming into a cold, hard knot in his stomach. He cupped his hands around his mouth, yelling "Was our friendship over when you tried to blow me Friday night?"

A faint but clear "fuck you" floated back to him, emphasized by the sight of Bianca's middle finger aimed in his direction.

Adam cleared his throat as he joined his best friends at their usual lunch table. "Hey, guys…" He trailed off nervously.

"Hey, Adam," Eli Goldsworthy mocked him. A well-placed poke from Clare Edwards shut him up.

"Hi, Adam." Clare was smiling sweetly at him. "Is everything okay? You seem out of sorts."

He took a few deep breaths. "I invited someone to join us for lunch today. Um, look, I know this is going to be a little awkward, but please try to make her feel welcome. And Eli, please be nice!"

"Why would it be awkward?" Clare sounded suspicious.

"Hi, mind if I sit here?" The group looked up to see Bianca, standing with her lunch tray. Eli choked, spraying his friends with root beer.

"I guess that answers that," Clare muttered, snatching a napkin and dabbing at her face.

Bianca bit her lip, looking genuinely apprehensive. "I'm sorry. Adam didn't get around to telling you I was coming, huh?"

"It's fine," Adam interrupted, waving his arm. "Sit down, it's all good. Eli does that all the time – sprays us with his lunch, I mean." His eyes fell on Clare, clearly pleading for help.

Clare instantly perked up and smiled. "Yeah, we really need to designate a splash zone. And honey…" She patted Eli's arm. "I know it's hard to remember all this, but you really need to swallow before you try to take a deep breath."

Eli shot Clare a dirty look, which he then turned on Bianca as she cracked up. Adam stared down at his tray, ignoring Clare's expectant gaze. An awkward silence descended on the table for a minute. Adam was just about to break it when Bianca spoke up.

"So you're probably wondering why I wanted to sit with you, right?"

From his seat across the room, Owen watched as Bianca leaned toward her new lunch buddies. Adam appeared terrified, but Clare was nodding, genuinely interested in what Bianca was saying. The goth boy was lounging back in his chair, a bored expression on his face. Then something Bianca said must have caught his attention, because he sat upright and put his elbows on the table. Adam shook his head, but then Clare spoke, and whatever she said set Eli laughing, waving his hands around dramatically.

Owen wanted to hear what was being said enough that he thought about moving to a closer seat, but then he saw that the goth boy and the freak were getting up from the table. Stealth had never been Owen's style. He preferred direct confrontation, and here was a perfect opportunity to find out exactly what was going on. He grabbed his uneaten lunch, ignoring the questioning looks from his football buddies, and followed his targets to the tray return. His timing was perfect.

Adam turned from the tray return just as Owen reached it. He mumbled an apology and tried to dodge, but Owen was twice his size and had no problem blocking him. "I need to talk to you, weirdo."

"About what?" Eli stepped in, raising his chin as he confronted the much bigger football player.

Owen glared down at the two of them. "I want to know what the fuck Bianca is doing with you losers."

Eli's trademark smirk appeared. "Trying to stay the fuck away from losers like you, apparently." Owen moved to grab him, but the smaller boy danced away quickly.

"Just stop," Adam snapped. "Quit trying to intimidate us, asshole. Bianca can do whatever she wants, and she usually does."

Understanding passed through Owen's eyes for a brief moment before he replied. "Look, keeping Bianca safe is my job and she's making it really hard for me to do that right now. Let's make this real easy. Just tell me why she's with you guys so we can all go on with the rest of our lives, preferably with no further contact."

Adam shrugged. "I don't really know. She apologized to me this morning, and then said she's trying to turn over a new leaf."

Owen waited impatiently, but Adam had nothing further to say. "What is that supposed to mean, a new leaf? She's gonna go to church with Edwards and start bringing souls to Jesus?"

Eli snorted loudly, catching Owen's attention. "She told us that she decided her interaction with males has been, quote unquote, 'unhealthy and inappropriate'. She also said that she needed some new friends that were positive influences. Sounds to me like your job of keeping her safe got a little easier. Not that you were so great at it anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Owen ground his teeth together, trying to control his temper.

"What he means," Adam interrupted, "is a real friend would have called her on her behavior a long time ago, instead of encouraging it."

A shout from across the cafeteria caught the trio's attention. "Are you guys coming?" Clare Edwards stood, hands on hips, waiting expectantly. "We're going to be late." Bianca was leaning against the table, watching.

Eli gave Owen's shoulder a less-than-friendly nudge. "Gotta go, bro. Hope we don't see you later." He sauntered away, Adam trailing after.

Owen barely noticed, too busy locking eyes with Bianca. She gave him one last hard look, shook her head and turned away from him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Don't own it, just love it.**

3.

"Do you wanna go to the Dot and get a coffee?"

Bianca jumped at the sudden appearance of Clare Edwards in her peripheral vision. She slammed her locker shut, contemplating the offer. "Why?"

Clare rolled her eyes. "Put your claws away, Miss Attitude. Adam asked us to be nice to you. Besides, I don't have any girlfriends, and from what I can tell, neither do you."

Bianca thought about saying no. A hundred memories flitted through her mind: throwing back shots of whiskey to the cheers of the crowd, dancing on a tabletop to pounding music, desperate kisses exchanged in a dark room. She shook her head, trying to clear it. Finally, she made a decision. "Yeah, I guess that could be fun."

They walked in silence, out the doors of the school and down the sidewalk. Bianca tried to think of something to talk about, but nothing came to mind. She was about to give up when Clare cleared her throat. "It's none of my business, of course," Clare began. "I was just wondering what brought on this change of heart."

"I like this guy," Bianca found herself saying. "I mean, I really really like him. But he doesn't date girls like me. He basically called me a slut." She paused, half-expecting Clare to tell her that she _was_ a slut, but that didn't happen. "It made me think a lot about the way I act. Because the truth is, I can't just be friends with a guy. I pretty much hook up with every guy I meet. And most of the girls too." She kept her head down, focusing on her steps as she waited for Clare's condemnation.

Clare didn't answer for a long minute. Then she said, "It doesn't sound like any of these people were really your friends to begin with, Bianca. Otherwise, they'd have more respect for you."

Bianca stopped walking, immediately on the defensive. "What do you know about sex, anyway? Respect has nothing to do with it. You think your fucking purity ring makes you the expert on relationships?"

Clare's smile was gentle, almost serene, when she looked at Bianca. She lifted her hand, letting her ring catch the light. "Do you know what's funny about wearing a purity ring?"

"Absolutely nothing, as far as I can tell."

Clare resumed walking, forcing Bianca to catch up. "Let me tell you what's so funny about it. I made this vow before God, when I was 11 years old, that I wouldn't have sex before marriage. So this ring is about something between me and God, right? Then I met Eli, who is perfectly okay with my vow. So now it's between Eli, God and me. Eli and I are the only people that this vow has anything to do with, nobody else. But guess who gets so worked up about it? Everybody else. Does that make any sense to you?"

The silence returned, but Bianca didn't even notice because she was so deep in thought. Clare had a really good point. What she chose to do with Eli – or chose not to do, whichever the case may be – didn't have anything to do with the rest of the school. But the rest of the school was always in her face about it. The more Bianca thought about it, the more upset she got. "Why do you let everybody give you shit about it then? I don't know how many people I've heard razzing you about that thing."

Clare shrugged as she took a seat at one of the outside tables at the Dot. "I've heard a lot of people call you a slut. You never seemed to care until now. What is it about this one guy that makes you want to completely change your life?"

"If only I knew." Bianca shot Clare a crooked smile. "You're alright, Edwards. Thanks for trying to be nice to me. Especially after this whole thing with Alli. I know she's your best friend and all."

"Honestly? Alli and I haven't been close in awhile. I love her and she's still my friend, but I can't handle her constant drama." Clare stood. "I'll get us drinks. What do you want?"

Bianca leaned back in her chair. "Whatever you're having would be great. Thanks."

Clare disappeared inside. Bianca relaxed, letting the sun warm her skin, and thought about how weird her day had been. Maybe ditching her skanky past wouldn't be so bad. Clare seemed like she'd be a really good friend. Adam and Eli were hilarious. In fact, the constant chatter from her new companions had helped her forget about Owen, mostly. He was still in the back of her mind, hovering, but at least he wasn't taking over all her thoughts. Were sobriety and abstinence really that hard? Was a clean start really what she needed?

Bianca's thoughts were interrupted as Clare returned, placing 2 foamy drinks on the table. "You look like you're thinking really hard," Clare commented. "Feel like talking about it?"

Bianca took a small sip of her cappuccino. "What do you guys do on the weekends?"

"That's not where I thought you were going." Clare tapped her fingers on the tabletop. "Well, we go to the movies or the mall. Adam and Eli hit the comic book shop, which bores me to death. Hang out at each other's houses, listen to music. I don't know, normal stuff. Why?"

"Do you ever…" Bianca hesitated, wondering if she would offend Clare. "Do you ever get drunk or smoke weed or anything?"

Clare's laughter was evident in her tone. "Oh. You're wondering if we're total prudes because everybody thinks I'm a Jesus freak. We drink most weekends. Adam and Eli smoke sometimes, but I don't care for it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and sometimes we have threesomes." Clare cracked up laughing at the look on Bianca's face. "I'm kidding, totally kidding. But your expression was priceless."

Bianca laughed with her. "Sorry. I'll try not to make assumptions anymore. You're not what I thought you'd be, though."

"Thank you." Clare leaned her elbows toward the table. "Now I absolutely have to know, did you ever hook up with Fitz?"

Laughter filled the air as Bianca and Clare, looking for all the world like two typical high school girls, cemented their friendship.

It was past midnight when Owen pulled himself over the rail on Bianca's bedroom balcony. He was well aware that she often left the doors unlocked, and he was going to take advantage of it. He knew from peeking through the windows that her dad's car wasn't in the garage, which was typical. As a corporate lawyer, he often disappeared on business trips that lasted weeks at a time. Owen felt a little bad, because he knew that Bianca would be scared shitless, but she wouldn't talk to him any other way. He figured it was worth a shot.

He soundlessly cracked open one of the French doors. Moonlight filled the otherwise dark room. He could clearly see Bianca, curled up on one side in the middle of the bed. Her covers were on the floor; Bianca had always been a restless sleeper. She was in her underwear and a black tank top. Owen took a moment to admire her body, part of him regretting the fact that he had pushed her away the other night. There was no doubt that she was gorgeous, but she was also his friend. He knew, having lived through it with her, that puberty had been painful for Bianca. Her dad was essentially useless when it came to dealing with his daughter. Without a mom around to guide her, Bianca had followed the example set by the older girls in the Ravine. Owen knew how those older girls had turned out. He didn't want himself _or_ Bianca tied down with a handful of babies and a couple of STIs by the time they graduated. Owen fell into Bianca's desk chair, resting his elbows on his knees. The freak was right. He really _should_ have called her on her behavior years ago, instead of waiting until it had an effect on him.

A soft chiming noise came from behind him. He glanced at Bianca, ensuring that she was still asleep, before grabbing her cell phone. He flipped it open. A message from Fitz popped up. "You can't be serious," Owen read aloud. What did that mean? He hit a button to bring up the entire conversation. At first, he was proud that Bianca told Fitz she was done sleeping around, but as he read more and more, the whole story came together. Bianca had apparently been fucking Fitz for awhile now, but she was cutting him off.

Owen slammed the phone down on the desk and took a deep breath. "Bianca, I need to talk to you. Bianca," he repeated.

She opened her eyes sleepily, letting out an ear-piercing screech when she realized who was there. "What are you doing here?" She sat up, glaring at him angrily.

"I climbed up." Owen pointed at the open door. "I wanted to find out what was going on with you."

Bianca rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Can't you send me a text like a normal person, Owen?"

"Like Fitz, you mean?" Owen snatched up the phone and waved it toward her. "He says you can't be serious, by the way."

She jumped up, yanking the phone from his hand. "You read my texts? What are you, my dad?"

Owen stalked toward her. "Just one question: how long have you been fucking Fitz behind my back?"

Bianca pulled herself up to her full height, but she still had to glare up at Owen. "Behind your back? Now you're my boyfriend?"

His voice was deadly calm as he gripped Bianca's chin, forcing her to look at him. "Answer the question. How long?"

"About a year," she whispered, jerking her face away from him.

Owen's laugh was scary rather than funny. "You've been sleeping with that loser for a year, and you didn't tell me. Did you forget to mention it?"

Bianca turned away. "I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't like it."

"Damn right." Owen glared furiously at Bianca's back. "I don't like it one bit. I didn't think even you would sink so low. Why would you do that? He's supposed to be my other best friend and now I want to break his fucking jaw."

Bianca looked at Owen over her shoulder. "That's why I did it – because he's your best friend. He's a lot like you. When I was with him, it was almost like I was with you."

Owen threw up his hands in frustration. "What exactly does that mean?"

Bianca spun around, dark hair flying out behind her. Owen was surprised to see tears forming in her eyes. "It means I'm in love with you, asshole. I'm head-over-heels in love with you and I have been for years, but I knew you'd never want me. I'm a slut. Guys use me and lose me. That's what I'm here for. And I don't care about any of them, but I couldn't stand to see you walk away from me like that."

Owen took a step forward, reaching for Bianca's shoulder. "I…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Among the long list of things I don't own is Degrassi.**

4.

"I gotta go" was, Bianca decided the next morning, definitely on the Top Ten List of Things You Don't Want a Boy to Say When You Tell Him You Love Him. Owen had stood there, one hand out like a fool, before blurting out that sentence and bolting out the French doors like the cops were on his tail. His hurried descent from the balcony was loud and full of curse words. She didn't watch, because she was too busy sobbing on her bed like the lovesick teenage girl that she was. She was awake (and crying) until nearly 4, so when the alarm went off at 6:30, she woke up with a headache and an overwhelming sense of doom. She debated on taking a sick day, but that meant staying home, eating everything in the kitchen and crying over soap operas. At least if she went to school, she could talk to Clare. She didn't know her new friend too well, but Clare seemed like the type to have a calming platitude for every situation.

Bianca was wrapped up in her own little world of heartbreak as she approached the bus stop. She didn't notice Owen until she was almost on top of him. "Shit." She backed up a few steps, pretending not to notice him looking at her, but it got a lot harder as he made his way toward her.

"Bianca, we need to talk about last night," he said flatly. She shook her head, backing up another step. "Please," he added.

She was saved by the sound of a honking horn. "B, want a ride?" Adam was leaning out the passenger side window of Eli's hearse. She could see Clare in the middle and Eli at the wheel. "Come on!"

"There's nothing to talk about," she responded. "I took too many sleeping pills last night. I think I was hallucinating," she lied. "My friends are waiting." She tugged her backpack a little higher on her shoulder and ran toward the car.

Owen watched her shove Adam over, throwing herself into the car like she belonged there. He wondered if her new friends would notice that her eyes were red and puffy, or if they knew that she only got those little creases on her forehead when she had a headache. He realized suddenly, as the car shot away and the bus pulled up, that he had a terrible headache himself.

It wasn't until lunch that Bianca got the chance to talk to Clare privately. "So you know how I told you I was in love with this guy?"

Clare took a sip of her water. "Yeah."

"I told him last night." Bianca pushed her fries around her plate, suddenly feeling rather sick.

"And?"

"And he didn't take it well." Bianca sighed. "Actually, what he said was 'I gotta go'."

"I take it that wasn't the answer you were looking for." Clare ducked her head, trying to meet Bianca's eyes. When she realized Bianca was holding back tears, she smiled sadly and patted her hand. "You know, I don't know who this guy is, but I'm guessing that you hit him with that completely out of the blue. He had a typical fight or flight response. Well, when it comes to guys and love, it's usually just flight."

Bianca shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought I could be normal."

"If you want to be normal, you're at the wrong table, sister." Eli slid into the seat next to Clare as Adam fell into a chair beside Bianca. "Look at us: goth boy, Saint Clare and Adam, formerly known as Gracie. I drive a hearse, for God's sake. You thought hanging with us would make you normal?"

Despite her best efforts to resist, Bianca cracked a smile. "Honestly, I feel very normal when I'm with you guys. Guess that means I'm almost as strange as you."

Eli opened his mouth to give a cutting reply, but he shut it when he noticed Owen approaching. The other three turned to see what he was looking at. Owen shuffled over to their table with his head down, hands in pocket. He no longer looked like the arrogant bully that tortured Adam in the halls. In fact, he looked like someone had broken his spirit.

"Hi, guys. Do you mind if I talk to Bianca privately?" His voice was quiet, carrying no hint of the usual hatred he showed the group.

"In case you haven't noticed, I've been avoiding you for the last four days," Bianca pointed out. "I realize that it might be hard for your tiny jock brain to understand, so let me lay it out for you. I do not want to talk to you at any time, privately or otherwise." She shoved her tray away, eyes blazing at Owen.

Owen nodded. "Yeah, I actually got that part without an explanation. But I don't understand why. We need to talk about last night, whether we do it alone or in front of all your new buddies. It's your choice."

Adam focused on his lunch tray, attempting to make himself invisible. Clare continued eating her lunch quietly, eyes on Bianca. Eli slumped in his chair and prepared to enjoy the show. He was sure that Bianca would go off any minute now, but he didn't expect what came next.

"You want to talk about last night?" Bianca hissed. "Fine, let's talk about it." She shoved her tray away from her and stood. "Let's share the news then." She climbed onto her chair and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Yo, people of Degrassi. Can I have your attention please?"

"Don't." Owen tugged on the hem of her shirt, but it had no effect. "Bianca, get down from there," he hissed.

She continued as if Owen weren't there. "I have an announcement to make. Last night, I admitted to Owen that I am madly in love with him." A shocked silence fell over the staring crowd. "You know what he said? He said he had to go. The fucker completely bailed on me. Why, you ask? I mean, let's face it. I'm a pretty decent-looking chick, I give great head and I'm always down for an orgy. What more could a guy ask for? Well, it turns out that Owen thinks I'm a slut. What teenage guy is bothered by the fact that his girlfriend's a slut? Of course, maybe there's something else standing in Owen's way. Maybe he doesn't want me because the only girl he's interested in is Alli Bhandari. Yep, that's right."

Owen jumped to his feet and grabbed Bianca around the legs, lifting her off the chair. "Shut the fuck up, Bianca!" He wanted to get her out of there before she said anything else, but she was kicking and squirming so much that he knew he was going to drop her.

Bianca focused in on a dark-haired hottie a few tables away. "So now you know why you had the pleasure of meeting in the boiler room, Drew. Owen begged me to hook up with you so Alli would find out and dump your ass. And he still couldn't seal the deal."

Bianca was cackling like she was cuckoo bananas. Owen finally dumped her on her ass and moved to leave, but he was blocked by Alli's ex-boyfriend, who had been his friend up until now. "Is that true?"

Owen knew that he could lie his way out of this predicament easily. All he had to do was say no and Drew would believe him. He opened his mouth to dispute Bianca's words, but instead found himself saying, "Yeah, man. It's true. I'm sorry."

A hitch in Drew's breath was the only giveaway to his emotional state. His gaze flitted around the room, landing on Bianca laughing on the floor before returning to Owen. "Man, I thought we were cool. Fuck you."

Owen saw the punch coming before Drew threw it. He had plenty of time to block it or move out of its path. But he could admit to himself that he had fucked up big time, so he took it like a man and didn't fight back. The punch landed perfectly, nailing Owen in his left eye. He stumbled back a few feet and braced himself for the next blow, but Drew just spat at his feet and walked away.

Owen stared at Bianca with his good eye. She was no longer laughing; instead, she seemed prepared to get hit herself. The idea crossed Owen's mind for a brief second, but he wasn't about to hit a girl. He stared at her until she got up, brushing at her uniform skirt. He was unprepared for the pain in her eyes.

"Are you happy now?" she asked flatly before grabbing her tray and walking away from him.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Degrassi, but I'd just like to say that I feel really sorry for Snake and the situations he has to deal with, including this one. And why are no one's parents ever involved? Seriously.**

5.

It was no surprise to Bianca to find herself, later that day, seated beside Owen in Principal Simpson's office. She angled her head so that her hair fell in a curtain, hiding her from Owen's view, and answered Simpson's questions softly, never meeting his eyes. Owen, on the other hand, spat accusations and excuses, refusing to admit his role in the situation.

Half an hour into the interrogation, Mr. Simpson covered his face with his hands and groaned loudly. "I thought I had seen everything, but there is absolutely no precedent for this situation. I honestly don't know what to do about this, but there are obviously going to be serious consequences for your behavior. For now, you are both suspended indefinitely. I'll discuss the matter with the school board and notify you of the decision." He put on a stern expression. "I hope you understand the seriousness of your actions. Ms. DeSousa, are you aware that performing sexual favors on school grounds could get you expelled?"

She nodded.

"Furthermore, we have to add in the fact that you and Mr. Milligan here conspired to do this for the express purpose of enticing another student into sexual acts. What were you guys thinking?"

"That's bullshit," Owen burst out. "How can you suspend me because of something Bianca did?"

Mr. Simpson focused on Owen. "You have been claiming that you had nothing to do with this, but witnesses say you admitted it to Drew Torres, after which he assaulted you. If you're innocent, why did you stand there and allow a smaller boy to hit you? You've been involved in violent incidents before, Mr. Milligan, so excuse me if I find it unlikely that you would passively accept punishment for something you didn't do." When Owen didn't reply, he continued. "You are both dismissed from Degrassi until further notice. I'll be sending you a letter regarding the school board's decision until further notice."

Bianca and Owen left the office quietly. Bianca started to the left, but Owen grabbed her forearm. Digging his fingers into her flesh, he pulled her along to the end of the hallway. "Nice of you to save my ass back there," he snapped, shaking her hard enough to hurt. "Real mature, Bianca. You may not care about a suspension, it's not like your dad will notice. But my dad is going to beat my ass when I get home. Bitch."

Bianca tried to pull away, but Owen's grip was too tight. "Go to hell, Owen. You act like you're so concerned about me. You're bugging me constantly because I'm trying to be a better person, and then the instant things don't go your way, you're all in my face, screaming and flipping out. Quit wasting my time."

He let her go so abruptly that she fell back into the lockers, filling the halls with a clanking noise. "I'm screaming and flipping out? Me? You're the one who decided it would be a wonderful idea to stand up in front of the entire school and admit you sucked Drew off because I told you to. Is this your twisted revenge because I'm not in love with you?"

"No," she hissed, rubbing the spot on her arm where the red imprint of his fingers was visible. "This is me telling the truth. And the truth is, you're no better than all of the other fuckers that I've been with over the years. You may not have had sex with me, but you used me all the same." She fiddled with the strap on her backpack. "I guess I was too stupid to see it, but that's how it's been all along."

With a roar, Owen slammed his fist into the locker directly by Bianca's head. "Shut up," he screamed, hitting the locker again. "We had a great friendship until you decided to turn it into something it wasn't. Run off with Fitz, bitch. Or better yet, go play with your new tranny friend."

Bianca stood up a little straighter. "At least when he looks at me, he sees more than a tool for getting what he wants."

Bianca walked home alone, oblivious to the rest of the world. She probably had 20 texts from Clare and Adam, but she didn't bother to check her phone. She was lost in her own world, so deep in thought that she didn't notice the car in her driveway when she got home. She unlocked the door with her key, entering and then closing and locking the door behind her immediately. She leaned back against the door and shut her eyes, relieved that she was now safe in her own space.

"Bianca?"

"Dad?" Bianca opened her eyes to see her dad standing in front of her. He was, as usual, wearing a suit. His sleeves were rolled up and his tie was at half mast. He had a beer in one hand and a sandwich in the other. "What are you doing home?" Bianca asked. "I thought you were going to be gone for another two days."

"They ended up settling. I have to head out on my next case tomorrow." His eyes narrowed. "Shouldn't you still be in school?"

She dropped her backpack to the floor and crossed her arms. "I got into some trouble."

"What kind of trouble, Bianca?"

"The kind that gets you an indefinite suspension," she muttered, brushing past him as she made her way toward the stairs.

Her dad turned. "How the hell did you get an indefinite suspension? Do I need to call your principal?"

She shrugged. "You can if you want, but it won't do any good. Dad…" Bianca felt ashamed of herself for the first time in a long time. "Dad, I think I need to see a therapist or something."

He took a swig of his beer. "Are you on drugs?" His voice was completely calm. He was wearing his courtroom face, the one that Bianca often thought was the only one he had since her mom died.

She shook her head. "No. I mean, I have done drugs, but no." She couldn't look at him as she admitted, "I'm a slut. I've slept with half of the guys in school, and I finally got caught."

Her dad looked uncomfortable for the first time. "Bianca, you're at that age where experimentation is normal. I know I'm not the best dad, I'm hardly ever here, but I'm sure that we can fix whatever the problem is. A lot of girls your age end up with STIs. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

She laughed bitterly, sitting down on the last step. "You're not listening to me! Just like normal. I don't have an STI. I got caught giving the quarterback a blowjob in the boiler room at school. And the only reason I did it was because another guy asked me to, so that he could ask out the guy's girlfriend. I need help, Dad."

Owen stood tall and silent as his father yelled. He barely even flinched when the remote control came flying at him. He tried to block out the words, but it wasn't working today. "Fucking worthless, that's what you are. You're never going to graduate, you piece of shit. Are you retarded?" The slap to the back of his head caught him offguard. He wasn't sure why, it was one of the old man's favorite tactics. "You think I like busting my ass all day to put a roof over your head? You think it's fun for me?" The second blow was a backhand to the face, and the pain was doubled when his dad's hand caught his black eye. "If it weren't for you and your whore mother, I'd be living the good life."

"Leave, then," Owen snapped, immediately wishing he could take the words back.

His dad stepped up to him, using his substantial weight to force Owen backwards. "I'm not leaving. I stand by my word, no matter what, like a real man should. I promised your mom I'd never leave. But I should have drowned you when you were born, like the little rat you are." Owen's back hit the wall, knocking a few framed pictures down. One shattered as it hit the floor. "Clean this shit up. When your mother gets home, we'll discuss your punishment." His dad delivered one last stinging smack before walking away.

Owen knelt down on the floor, fighting back tears as he began picking up chunks of glass. He knew from experience that the smaller pieces would have to be swept up. He grabbed the picture with one hand, flipping it over. In it, his mom was smiling happily in her white dress, clinging to the man she chose for her husband. They both looked so young and so happy, nothing like the sad, angry people he had lived with for his entire life.

Owen made a split-second decision, allowing everything to fall out of his hands. "I'm out of here," he announced to the empty room. Ten minutes later, he had everything important to him shoved in a couple of duffle bags. He didn't call out to his dad as he walked out the front door.


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Degrassi, but I am completely flipping out over Drop the World Part 1. Just FYI.**

6.

It was, Bianca decided with a grin, good to be home. She stepped out of her dad's Lexus to the sound of excited screams. "You guys came," she shouted, dropping her bag and running toward her friends. Clare wrapped her in a warm hug, quickly followed by Adam and Eli. "I missed you guys so much."

"We missed you too," Clare squealed. "So how was it? Do you feel better?"

"I'll tell you guys about it while we eat the pizza my dad just ordered. Come meet him," Bianca demanded, leading them over to her dad, who was getting her bags from the trunk.

Bianca waited until they were all settled around the kitchen table with food before she started talking. Her dad had retreated to his office to give Bianca some time alone with her friends, as well as catch up on the work he had missed. "I wanna start by thanking you guys for all the support you gave me. I used to think I had all kinds of friends, but I can't think of anybody else who would have emailed me and called every single day." She wiped away a stray tear, remembering her first day in the month-long inpatient therapy program her dad enrolled her in. "It was so hard at first. I didn't think I was going to make it."

Adam reached over and covered her hand. "Hey, we never doubted you."

"I know. That's why I started believing in myself."

Owen shed his filthy clothes and stepped into the shower. He ducked his head under the hot spray and started scrubbing. He stayed in the shower until he ran out of hot water, and then reveled in the fact that no one yelled at him for wasting water. Even though it had been almost a month since he left his parents' house, he still caught himself bracing for a blow at times.

He slipped on a pair of shorts and made his way into the kitchen to fix a sandwich. His tiny economy apartment was barely bigger than a closet, but it was all his. And he could afford it, that was important. He had spent a few days on Fitz's couch while he was trying to figure out what to do, until a friend of a friend mentioned that legendary Degrassi bad boys Jay Hogart and Sean Cameron needed some help at the garage they had recently opened. Within an hour of hearing that, Owen was all set up with a part-time job and his tiny new home. It wasn't perfect, but it was working out just fine.

It was Saturday, only 2 days until his suspension was over. Owen had mixed feelings about returning to school. On the one hand, he wanted to graduate before he turned 20. On the other hand, working in the garage and enjoying his new-found peace were important to him. He knew he wouldn't find peace back at school. Fitz was expelled. Drew was still pissed at him, along with most of the football team. Owen had no idea what had happened to Bianca, except that the little tranny freak had said she was gone for awhile, whatever that meant.

Owen regretted his anger toward Bianca now, because getting suspended turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He couldn't remember a time before now when he could come home to a clean, quiet place where no one screamed or hit at him.

A knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts. He didn't bother grabbing a shirt, assuming it was Spinner or Jay, since they were the only ones who knew where he lived. He paused in front of the door, mentally reviewing the day's workload for any possible mistakes or problems. Nothing came to mind, so he opened the door.

Clare Edwards was standing on his steps. They stared at each other for a full minute before Clare finally asked, "Can I come in?"

"Uh, yeah." Owen stepped back, allowing Clare to enter. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I'm sure I'm not who you expected." She reached the middle of the apartment in about 10 steps and did a full turn, checking the place out.

Owen shut the door. "I figured it was one of my bosses, actually. I didn't think anybody else knew where I lived."

Clare shrugged casually. "I know people."

"What people?" Owen asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you want names? Jay Hogart, for one." Clare grinned at Owen's surprise. "He's good friends with Spinner Mason, who used to date my sister Darcy. I've even been to the Ravine," she added, smile widening.

Owen's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. But I didn't come here to swap stories. I just wanted to tell you that Bianca's home."

"So?" Owen strolled back to the kitchen counter and resumed fixing his dinner, pretending he didn't care.

Clare followed, leaning against the counter beside him. "So," she mimicked. "She spent the last month in therapy. I think you should talk to her. She needs all the friends she can get right now, and I know she misses you."

"You have no idea what happened," Owen snapped, smacking his hand on the counter.

Clare didn't look intimidated. "Actually, I know everything, at least from her point of view. She's trying to change, Owen, but it's not that easy. You should at least give her a chance to explain." Owen didn't reply. "I'll let myself out."

Owen kept his eyes on his sandwich until he heard the door latch shut. He blew out a long breath, debating with himself. To call or not to call. Bianca had been acting crazy toward him, really. First she wanted to hook up, and then she wanted him to disappear. She ignored him at school, but then confessed her love for him before announcing to everyone that he was a big part of what went down between her, Alli and Drew. Still, Bianca was his best friend. He took a bite of his food. She was with him no matter what, had patched him up so many times when his dad got carried away. In all their years of friendship, Bianca had never, not once, turned her back on him. At least not until he turned his back on her.

With that thought, Owen whipped out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number. The phone rang twice before she picked up. "Hey, it's Owen. I think we need to talk."


	7. Chapter 7

**Don't own Degrassi! This is the last chapter of the story. I honestly think it's a little awkward and rushed, but I've started losing interest in it. It didn't go anywhere near where I was aiming, so I'm totally frustrated. (By it and by the fact that I have yet to see the season finale!)**

7.

Owen rang the doorbell and shoved his hands back into the pockets of his letterman jacket. A gust of wind ruffled his hair as he stepped back, listening for the familiar sound of Bianca stomping down the stairs while singing at the top of her lungs. He was so focused on the sounds he expected that he never heard the person coming up behind him.

"Can I help you?"

Owen turned to see a short, slim Hispanic man staring at him from the lawn. Bianca had mentioned that her dad was home, but it took Owen a minute to put two and two together. He had only seen Mr. DeSousa a handful of times over the years, always perfectly groomed in a $1000 suit. The man standing before him today wore jeans and a plain white tee shirt with messy uncombed hair. Owen stared at him a moment longer, unsure if he really was Bianca's dad, until he realized that they had the same eyes.

Owen held his hand out awkwardly, stepping down the porch steps. "You probably don't remember me, sir. Owen Milligan, a friend of Bianca's. Is she in right now?"

Mr. DeSousa shook his hand firmly, but still didn't smile. "Yes, Milligan. I've heard my daughter talk about you. Come on in. You can wait in the living room while I get Bianca." He led Owen up the steps and across the porch silently. He opened the screen door and stepped inside, leaving Owen to catch the door on his own. Before Owen could say anything, Mr. DeSousa pointed to the right. "Bianca will be down in a moment."

Owen took a seat on the cream leather sofa and took in his surroundings. He couldn't remember ever being in the living room; he knew Bianca didn't care to spend time here. It was pretty obvious why – the room was covered with pictures of her dead mother. Owen had no idea what the woman's name had been or how she had died, but it was obvious that ten years later, someone was still having problems letting go. He got up from the couch to take a closer look at some of the pictures. The frames on the mantel were sparkling, but the mantle itself had a layer of dust an inch thick. Owen reached for a picture of a much younger Bianca with her mom on the beach.

Bianca spoke just before he touched it. "She was beautiful, wasn't she?"

Owen didn't turn. "Yeah, she was. You look just like her."

"My dad thinks so too." Suddenly, she was right beside him. "We found out a lot about each other during therapy. Like the fact that he can't stand to look at me because I look just like her." Bianca sounded bitter. "When my mom died, it was like I lost both of my parents."

He could see her in his peripheral vision. For some reason, he expected her to be different. But from what he could see, she was the same person she'd always been. Just less makeup and more conservative clothing, he realized as he met her gaze full on. "So therapy was bad?" It was a stupid question and he regretted it as soon as it popped out of his mouth, but he didn't know what else to say.

She shook her head, ponytail waving. "No, it was really good, actually." They were standing in front of the marble fire place facing each other. "I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"For being me," she stated sadly. "One of the things that I realized from all this was that I had a desperate need for attention, particularly male attention. Basically, I've got daddy issues. I needed to be wanted so badly that I transferred my feelings to you, even though they weren't appropriate for the relationship we had."

Owen stared at her. "I don't understand what you're saying."

Bianca gave him a familiar smile. "That's okay, I didn't get it at first. I was dependent on you. I acted like I could take care of myself, but I wasn't even able to make decisions without your input. Which is exactly why I got sucked into your whole Bhandari scheme so easily."

"I just want things to go back to the way they were," Owen told her with a heavy heart. "I want us to be best friends and go party and have fun, like we always did before."

She closed her eyes. "I'd like that too, but I'm different now. Owen, I have to be different. I have some things to figure out. I'm not saying that we'll never be like that again, but right now, I need to get my life back on track." She gave him a smirk that was eerily similar to Goth Boy's. "Or maybe I should say on track for the first time."

"You're saying we're through then? We're not friends anymore." Owen couldn't believe his ears.

Bianca brushed her fingers gently over his jaw. "I'm saying we're through for now."

_Four Months Later_

A pleasant grin was plastered across Owen's face as he strolled down the front steps of Degrassi. Summer was officially here. He paused for a moment, seeing Bianca laughing with her friends. He started to walk away, but he had an undeniable desire to talk to her, to find out how she was doing. He made his way through the crowd of newly released teens who were celebrating freedom.

Bianca saw him coming and greeted him with a smile. "Hey, Owen. Ready for summer break?"

He took in the changes he had observed in her over the last few months. She was still B, no doubt about that, but she actually seemed happy. There were no more stories of sexual debauchery, hallway brawls or insane parties. In fact, no one told stories about Bianca at all anymore.

"I've been ready since the first day of school," he joked in reply. "How about you?"

"I'm so ready."

It was almost surreal, the difference in her. He hadn't realized it before, but everything about her from the way she stood to the tone of her voice had been staged to attract people to her. The way she was always toying with the zipper on her jacket, the cocked hip, the low seductive words. This new Bianca, this stranger to him, wasn't doing any of those things. She was giving him an open, friendly smile without a hint of sex in it, and a voice to match.

"So, do you have big plans?" Owen was overcome with a sudden case of shyness, realizing how appealing she was now that she wasn't throwing herself at him (and everyone else).

"Not really." She shrugged casually. "Just going to hang out, maybe go see a few shows. My dad's taking me to the beach for a couple of weeks."

A shout came from behind her. "Bianca!" A bunch of people were gathered around Eli's hearse, looking in their direction. Owen saw Clare, Eli and Adam among them.

"Just a minute," she yelled over her shoulder. "What about you," she asked, returning her voice to a normal volume. "Anything cool going on?"

"Mainly work." He ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Hey, would you maybe want to catch a movie or something? Like this weekend?"

Her face softened. "I miss you too," she said softly.

He kicked a rock. "It's still weird, not having you around."

"I'd like to see a movie with you. Call me, okay?" She stepped back for an instant, then surged forward and threw her arms around him. "I really do love you," she whispered in his ear. "I just didn't know the right way to show it."

He stood there, staring after her as she ran across the parking lot. "Same here," he whispered to the air. And for the first time in a long time, Owen Milligan thought that maybe, just maybe, things would work out, for both him and the best girl he'd ever know.

**The End**


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